The Other Thing I Love!

My love for beer is true. But If it weren't for my love and passion of music, I don't know if I would completely understand how to devote my time and patience into developing this "hobby."

I love music. And it's a love I've been cultivating since I was about 7 years old. The first album I ever fell in love with was Blood Sugar Sex Magik by the almighty Red Hot Chili Peppers. And that was where it all started. Thank God I had a brother who was 7 years older than me, because as soon as I fell in love with music, I became obsessed with listening to everything I could get my grubby little paws on. And that meant swiping my brothers cassette tapes and dealing with the aftermath! Which usually included a pounding. But it was worth it! The sounds of the Beastie Boys, Stone Temple Pilots, Rage Against The Machine and Pearl Jam guided me through those young years. In 1993, I received Billy Joel's River of Dreams (what 10 year old would ask for that?) and that's when I taught myself that I should always try to listen to everything.

Those weren't the only things I listened to. Thanks to my mothers, I also grew up listening to (and thoroughly enjoying) things like Grateful Dead, Moody Blues, Allman Brothers, The Beatles, Tom Petty, Traveling Wilburys and the like. Granted, I don't listen to that now, but when I was a kid, hell yeah. As I got older, my tastes expanded and I started to kind of grow into my own. And I could probably fill up thousands of pages documenting every cool and inspiring band I discovered, but I'll save you that trouble. I will say though, If you ever want to discuss music with me, I am ALL ears.

Google Image result of "I'm all ears." I want one.

In the end this particular entry has no real defining purpose. But as I've been writing this blog and going on this "beerventure," I've noticed a lot of similarities between the two things. I want to expand my beer palate in all the same ways I expanded my sonic palate. And I can only do that by expanding all of my horizons, letting go of any preconceived prejudices and welcoming anything I can get my hands on. Not in the spirit that I'm determined to enjoy everything, but I think its important to try. And that's something I've only learned in the last couple of years. And so far it has been a ton of fun!

I suppose in the end, this is all why I decided to add my musical pairings at the end of each review. So far, this is a small way for me to bring my two loves together. And its not just an arbitrary thing either. In fact, sometimes it takes longer to choose the album that's fitting, than it is to write the review! Sometimes the mood of an album, fits a style of beer. Sometimes there's a brewery or brew pub that evokes an atmosphere that can be perfectly complemented with just the right soundtrack. And sometimes, it can just be an album title, or band name that comes to mind. Regardless of what it is, its one of my favorite small quirks about this blog, and I hope someone out there is enjoying it!

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#12 New Glarus Thumbprint (Or Unplugged?) Cherry Stout

This is a brewery that has me intrigued. All because of this one beer. This beer is confused I think. And not like Blonde on Blonde. This beer is seriously having an identity crisis. Maybe its because its so far from home? I mean, I'm in Connecticut, I'm not sure how far away from Wisconsin this beer is used to being, but I bet not this far. Poor little guy must have been scared.

I shall give it a warm place to live, full of love. In my belly.

New Glarus stands brave in my bottle graveyard, fearing nothing.

Now, before I review it, I should note... There's a large chance that if you're reading this and you're in the New England area...You probably won't ever try this beer.. So..

This seemed nicer than "Suck it."

Ok, So let me paint your senses a textual soliloquy of flavor:

Pour: A beautiful, dark, ruby. Like, If I clicked my heels, I would be transported home with a wonderful bottle of beer...Oh wait...I was already! WISH COME TRUE!

Nose:Taste:Everything about this beer:

Seriously.

For realsies, though. This beer did pour a beautiful, burnt ruby color. It was was REALLY dark, like a stout should be. But that's where the stout characteristics end. The smell is sweet cherry. Its so sweet, its almost artificial smelling. I cant lie, I was a little put off. I wasn't getting nay of the coffee and burnt, roasted scents. I was scared and needed to hold someones hand. Everything was telling me, "this isn't a stout." Taste? Just like the smell. A small bubble carbonation, kinda fun and fizzy. But the taste is just cherry, cherry, cherry. And it was really good. Admittedly, at first I was really thrown off, because I wanted that unique combination of a true stout with cherries. What I was getting was Lambic, all day. But once I adapted to what I was drinking, I was truly able to enjoy this for what it was, one of the most unique beers I have had in a long time.

I do wish New Glarus was something that was readily available to me here on the east coast, because as I mentioned this before, with the uniqueness of this beer, they have me intrigued as to what else they can create.

Also, I used to fake being sick as a kid, JUST so my mom would buy me Ludens. Cough drops? Psh. Those things are candy. Delicious, medicinal candy.

As of now, I have 68 Facebook likes, 8 Google Friend Connect followers and 56 followers on Twitter.

All of my blog-following/liking links are located on the right side of my page so get to clicking! For this contest though, my Untappd profile is excluded. Once I reach 100 followers or likes I'll post the Rafflecopter for the giveaway and you can all fight like rabid animals. The prize has yet to be determined, but It will probably be something totally bitchin'.

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#11 Main St. Cafe

Not too long ago, I started this blog. With my introductory post, I explained how I spent my first few years of craft beer enjoyment, parked at a bar stool inside this amazing place. David Wollner really knows his stuff, and you can see and taste the love that goes into his craft. So lets see what kind of trouble I got into!

Beautiful, right? I love this place. But its been a while since I had been here, so I had to really study the list!

Decisions, Decisions...Anything look good to you?

The beer I really wanted, wasn't on tap. In fact, I don't know if they even brew it anymore. Its called Roadenzok (Spelling?) and it was a delicious ruby red sour! Anyway, I wanted to DRINK ALL THE BEER, but that would have been super dangerous, as I had more places to be! SOOOOOOOO...I got a sampler! YAY SAMPLER!

Nice handwriting, right? Yeah!

I was so overwhelmed, I didn't know where to start. I did "Eenie Meenie Miney Moe!"

Thank god they gave me my card and laid them out in the same pattern, otherwise I would have been completely lost. I'm simple.

Following the pattern from top left:

Simon Saaz-On: I'm making a habit of trying every Saison I can get my hands on. I'm starting to really enjoy the style. Especially this one. Lightly maltyness, with a delicious fruit tang to it. Nice and crisp, a brilliant representation of the style 3.5/5

Dead End Dunk Ale: I haven't had too many Dunkels, so I jumped at the opportunity to try this one. A nice roasted taste, very smooth and creamy. This was the first one I grabbed, I was so excited I started to drink it before I even took the group picture! 4/5

Pony Espresso Stout: I really liked this. A lot. One thing that turns me off on a lot of stouts is the blatant presence of coffee. I like coffee, but only with cream and sugar, so when its in my beer it puts me off a bit. But this was a perfect blend of roasted malts, chocolate and some caramel. 4/5

Flowers Infusion: Much like the Apricot Wheat surprised me at Tullycross, this beer surprised the hell out of me! I didn't know what to expect, but when the crisp, fizzy sweetness exploded on my taste buds, I got REALLY excited! In hindsight, I should have gotten a growler. What a unique idea for a beer. I'm starting to see a lot more of these French Farmhouse style beers. I didn't like the first one I had tried (Flying Dog Garde Dog), but I've had a few more since, and they've all been winners. This one easily being the champion. 5/5

Dyvil Hopyard Double IPA: They didn't have it, so they gave me Late Night IPA... it was an IPA. Not bad, nothing to excite me though. I think I'm getting burnt out on IPA's. 3/5

So I would say this trip was a resounding success. I was disappointed I didn't get to see the two bartenders I know the best, Jake and DJ. Oh well! That's what I get for being such a stranger! I cant recommend this place enough. I may be biased, but its one of my favorite places to drink beer, outside of my living room. And the food is great, you have to get the nachos! Also, aside from their own brews, they have around 30 different guest brews on tap and in bottles. That makes for a pretty impressive menu in my book. And another perk, if you go, you get to sit in one of the most beautiful buildings in Eastern Connecticut. If you don't want to sit inside, feel free to enjoy your food and drinks outside on their patio!

Bonus Perk: I met a fellow Beer Advocate user and scored a 4 pack of Heady Topper, one of the highest rated IPA beer sin the country! Lucky me!

As of now, I have 61 Facebook likes, 8 Google Friend Connect followers and 44 followers on Twitter.

All of my blog-following/liking links are located on the right side of my page so get to clicking! For this contest though, my Untappd profile is excluded. Once I reach 100 followers or likes I'll post the Rafflecopter for the giveaway and you can all fight like rabid animals. The prize has yet to be determined, but It will probably be something totally bitchin'.

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#10 City Steam Blonde on Blonde

Woooo, double digit review! And a local, at that!

City Steam Brewery. I've never been, but I have purchased their Naughty Nurse on more than one occasion. Because lets face it, the name is catchy, and the beer is damn good. Luckily I was able to score this bottle at Stop & Shop, in their new craft beer selection!

Spider Man felt appropriate.

Kinda sexy, right? No wonder they call it "Bottle Porn."
And the vintage artwork speaks to the Hipster in me.

Even though the picture is deceiving, it poured your normal amber color. Which upon thinking, I should really stop describing the color of the beer, unless its something unique. Because lets be honest...most beers pour your standard beer color. Like, if it were acceptable, I bet Crayola would have already made a "beer" crayon. Moving along!

Getting a good whiff of it, it smelled nice and sweet, picking up a lot of citrus. But with a slight trace of hops making its way up into my nasal cavity. As I was expecting something even lighter, this was interesting. Head you ask? Me too. There was none. Unless I blinked, which is entirely possible. First taste and the sharp crispness of it kind of surprised me, especially the lingering hops. Not overwhelming by any means, but more like the last guest that wont leave, when you want to go to sleep. It was just...there. And it confused me, much like their description. Was it a pale ale, or just a hoppy ale? I'm leaning towards...middle of the road. It went down so easily, with a nice feel to it that didn't detract from the drinking experience. Lighter carbonation than a soda, but certainly enough bubbles to make your mouth happy. Starts light, finishes hoppy, drinks easily. I was sold.

Everything on paper makes this a "good" beer. While nothing that will make anyone's "best beer" list, it's certainly something that wont disappoint in any way. Perhaps confuse, but never disappoint. This is an all around good beer, good for any occasion and I think would satisfy most palates.

As of now, I have 61 Facebook likes, 8 Google Friend Connect followers and 41 followers on Twitter.

All of my blog-following/liking links are located on the right side of my page so get to clicking! For this contest though, my Untappd profile is excluded. Once I reach 100 followers or likes I'll post the Rafflecopter for the giveaway and you can all fight like rabid animals. The prize has yet to be determined, but It will probably be something totally bitchin'.

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Beers of Days Gone Past

Believe it or not, I didn't always dream of being a beer blogger. But I always found myself taking pictures of the beers I drank, as if one day....

Holy foreshadowing! Today is just a quick, fun, little ditty of some beers I have had in the past, that I thought were delicious (maybe) and that I might not review! Because I'm lazy (And sheer availability)!

First stout I ever loved. Seriously, loved. This beer is easily in my running of best beer of 2012. I eagerly anticipated the release of this beer like I would a new Spider-Man or Batman movie. The day of its release, I was at the liquor store, 6 pack in hand. This beer seemed to have taken Connecticut beer drinkers by storm. Also, it's great over ice cream.

I remember this being a stand out brew from the few of the 100 Barrel Series I had actually tried. And damn, look at the head on that thing! Honestly though, other than enjoying it a lot, and being impressed by the head, I don't recall much else!

And that wraps it up! See? Quick and fun! Got any "I remember that beer..." stories? Let me know, maybe I've had the same beer! And maybe between the both of us we slap together some kind of coherent joint memory of what we thought about it!

And also,

I'm going to do a blog giveaway! Here's the details:

As of now, I have 57 Facebook likes, 8 Google Friend Connect followers and 31 followers on Twitter.

All of my blog-following/liking links are located on the right side of my page so get to clicking! For this contest though, my Untappd profile is excluded. Once I reach 100 followers or likes I'll post the Rafflecopter for the giveaway and you can all fight like rabid animals. The prize has yet to be determined, but It will probably be something totally bitchin'.

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#9 Sam Adams Norse Legend

Have you ever heard of Sahti before? I haven't! "WTF is a Sahti" you ask? Good question! TO THE INTERWEBS!

Sahti is a traditional beer from Finland made from a variety of grains, malted and unmalted, including barley, rye, wheat, and oats; sometimes bread made from these grains is fermented instead of malt itself. Traditionally the beer is flavored with juniper berries in addition to, or instead of, hops; the mash is filtered through juniper twigs through a trough shaped tun called a kuurna in Finnish. Sahti has a distinct banana flavor due to the production of isoamyl acetate by the yeast. Sahti is a top-fermented brew (ale), and while baking yeast has been used traditionally, ale yeast may also be used in fermenting.

Thanks, Wikipedia!

I bought this on the momentous first sunday of legal alcohol sales in CT! I had zero idea of expectations, so lets see what Sam Adams had up his sleeve with the introduction of Norse Legend!

I seriously need that light box!

Pour: 1.5 finger head, and VERY fluffy. It went away fast leaving a sticky lacing.

Color: Clear dark toffee brown, with a reddish highlight. Something your girlfriend or wife would want to get at the salon. Quite beautiful.

Nose: Very sweet...kinda spicy,with a burnt malt. You really have to take it in deep to pick it up. But no Juniper, which was odd to me.

Taste: Mellow with a slight fruity taste, I'm guessing it was the Juniper but I've never had it before so I could be way off. More malt than anything with practically zero hops. This beer went down easy, but its by far, NOT a session beer. At least, not to me.

Sam Adams is continuing to impress me. Overall, I really enjoyed it. Especially being a new style I had never had before. I'm enjoying the fact that large brewers are starting to get their hand into old, traditional, historical brews. Dogfish Head is a great example. Now I want to try other interpretations of Sahti and see what other brewers have to offer. Do any of you have some suggestions?

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My Thoughts On Cans vs Bottles...

Summer of 2010. I wanted Saranacs Summer Brew SO BAD, but I couldn't find it. In my fevered search (seriously, It was really hot that day) I came across Leinenkugals Summer Shandy. 12 Pack of cans, almost $20. Holy sticker shock. After forking over the money, I get home and I'm pretty excited, I crack open one and take the first sip out of the can. BLECH! I paid almost $20 for this shit?! Later I would go on to change my mind about Summer Shandy, but that's not the point of this post. Point is, this was around the beginning when the whole canning debate was starting to really gain momentum, and you know what? I was Team Bottle.

I held this point to be true (to me) for a little while. One night in Baltimore, I think we were at Johnny Rads, my girlfriend ordered me a Brewers Art Resurrection Ale (in a can, poured into a glass) and promised me I would like it. And you know what? She was right!

So there went my stupid prejudice.

That would be the last canned beer I would have until just this past weekend, where I enjoyed and Oskar Blues Deviant Dale's. The thing is, I poured it into a glass. And yesterday, I was lucky enough to score a 4 pack of the highly sought after Heady Topper. 4 cans, of supposedly, the best IPA in the world. Right on the can, in big letters it states "DRINK FROM THE CAN," so I did. Not bad. My next can, I poured though. And it was 2187642 times better.

My verdict? I was wrong to think that good beer doesn't come in cans. But its also not so cut and dry. I think canned beer is good, when you can pour it into a glass. I think drinking beer out of the can really does affect the taste. Maybe not so much in the "I can taste the metal!" But when you drink from the can, you are really losing out on a lot of the aromas that go into the overall taste experience. But...same with glass. So while you can bring a 6 pack of your favorite craft beer to an outdoor event or something along those lines, you're still not getting the best experience if you don't have something to pour it into. But...same with glass.

Cans are light weight, and completely block ALL sunlight, which we know is beers natural enemy. They seal tighter and they're just all around handy. And you don't have to worry about having something handy to open a can. Unless you have stubby fingertips or something, then opening one becomes a pain in the ass.

TL;DR: I was wrong to think cans were no good, and thanks to my girlfriend and other people, the point was proven by far. Cans and bottles are both a-ok by me!

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#8 Wolavers Wildflower Wheat

I love Otter Creek. Their Stovepipe Porter is on a (constantly revolving) list of one of my favorite beers.

Enter Wolavers. Now, I was initally put off by the term "organic," thinking "This beer is going to taste like crap." And one day Blog About Beer asked on facebook, what we all thought of organic beers. Well, that was enough to spur me to try it so I could tell them what I thought! I picked up a 6 pack during my Baltimore Brewhaha and got to work.

Lets get it on!

This beer just LOVED the camera

This beer poured a nice, hazy color. And to be honest, I like hazy in my beers. And the nose on it was quite pleasant. It smelled like summer. Like earth. Honey and floral. I felt like I should have been making a run for the nearest tie-dye shirt. It had a nice fluffy 2 finger head that disappeared quickly. Seriously, from the photo you couldn't even tell it had one. And the lacing was pretty much non-existent. Took my first sip and BLAM, this beer kicked ass. For a wheat, this beer had a pretty heavy mouthfeel. Not a ton of carbonation. The honey is the most prominent flavor, but there's more. So. Much. More. A lot of times I can smell the floral, but not taste it, but this beer was all "TASTE THE POLLEN, SUCKA!" I loved it. If I could verify what lavender tastes like, I'd say that's what I was tasting, because it was definitely in the smell. I quickly passed the glass to my girlfriend, "you have to try this, I think you'll like it!" And she did. So I knew this beer was a keeper (she even had one while I wasn't looking).

This beer is different from a lot of wheats. This is heavy, but not overwhelmingly so. It doesn't have the crispness a lot of wheats have, but its still very smooth. This beer is not hoppy or malty, it just is. If this beer was a person, I would have a beer with it. My hats off to the Brew Master, they really treated this beer with some TLC. I would drink this beer any day.

With this beer, I have learned not to judge a book by its cover. And lets take a look at that cover!

I'm pretty sure that's my Grampa. Except hes a Whiskey guy.

And don't forget, I'm having a giveaway starting at my first 100 likes or followers! So be sure to check out my Facebook or Twitter accounts (on the top, right hand side of this page) and share me with the world!

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Blog Mail & Something Special For The Fans!

I have another review, in the works, FRET NOT! but to tide you over I have a few things we can talk about!

The first thing on my agenda is I received my first official Blogger Mail! And I'm going to tell you all about it! Before I really get into detail, I just want to say that this is huge to me. This whole week, between new followers on my Facebook and my Twitter, I have around 30 new followers. THAT IS SO EXCITING! I can not thank Connecticut Beer enough!

Ok, now, mail. Yes, right. Check it!

My good looks are paying off!

Looks good right? Do you know what you're looking at, because I sure as hell don't. Lets break it down, b-boy style, left to right (Descriptions provided to me from Ricardo Clarquez):

Oskar Blues Deviant Dales – This is proof good beer comes in a can. New Glarus IIPA – A GREAT brewery that only distributes in WI.

The Bruery Otiose – A wild/ sour beer – Find a friend to help you with this bottle. It’s too much to take down aloneBells Expedition stout – I think this is an ’11 VERY good Russian Imperial Stout. Very hoppy

New Glarus Cheery Stout – I really like this beer, it’s a love or hate though New Glarus – Belgian Red, this will challenge what you think beer is.

Russian River Supplication – Based in CA with very limited distribution, some of the BEST American sours ever made. You will find this to be more of a wine than a beerTwo Brothers Hop Juice Black – Black IPA only sold at the festival I was at last weekend.

I know, right? The generosity displayed completely floors me. I almost don't even want to drink them! Well, I mean I do. but, you know...Anyway, got any you're particularly interested in? What do you think I should drink first? I haven't had ANY of these!

While you're still deciding what you want me to drink, I'll let you in on a little secret...

I'm going to do a blog giveaway! Here's the details:

As of now, I have 48 Facebook likes, 8 Google Friend Connect followers and 36 followers on Twitter.

All of my blog-following/liking links are located on the right side of my page so get to clicking! For this contest though, my Untappd profile is excluded. Once I reach 100 followers or likes I'll post the Rafflecopter for the giveaway and you can all fight like rabid animals. The prize has yet to be determined, but It will probably be something totally bitchin'.

I suppose that makes it official. I have officially stated I'm having an official bog giveaway! Exciting!

Tell your friends! Help me hit 100!

I suppose that will do it for me tonight! There will be a new review coming this weekend, along with hopefully some exciting local news! So stay tuned and have a safe weekend!

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#7 Stone Vertical Epic 11.11.11

Alright. I drank this beer a couple of weeks ago. It has taken me this long to review it for a couple reason...One, I lost my detailed and slightly drunken scrawled notes. Second, this beer is intimidating. Seriously. There has been more than one occasion when I pick up a bottle of Stone and I second guess my masculinity. The Oaked Arrogant Bastard bottle alone is begging you for a knock down, drag out fist fight. Insulting you and goading you and making you aware that you're crazy, because you are totally contemplating punching a glass bottle in the face.

But I digress...

Ok, so, review. Right. I picked this bottle up in Baltimore, and I was pretty excited. I like Stone. OAB as the first Stone I had ever had. I remember picking up a 6 pack for $15, my ex-wife flipping out, and me not caring because it was a heavenly beer. The name was why I bought it, and the product kept me coming back. I also love Ruination, what a great IPA. And their bottles are just beautiful. Other than those two, and todays beer, that is all I've had. It's cool to see them kind of become these "superstars" of the craft beer world, and I'm sure its more than deserving. I just have to be biased (and not a bandwagon rider), because of everything they make, I've only had three brews. Three. That is paltry.

Oh wait, DUH, I've had their Smoked Porter, which in going par for the course, was also goddamned delicious. So that makes Four. So, I actually might be an expert after all. Lets find out how expert-y I am! Bring on the beer!

I was having a very difficult time photographing this. I blame it on the beer I had prior.

it was a beautiful dark, reddish amber color, nice and crystal clear. And as always, I got my nose right in there, taking it all in. And I instantly pulled it right back out! Wow. The pepper was BAM right in my face, with the cinnamon dawdling behind. And there was a smell of burning. Smokey. There wasn't a a chance to even see if there were any other notes of anything because what was there in my nostrils, was soaked in. I'm pretty sure my sense of smell is still recovering. I was starting to get afraid of what I got myself into. I sat there with the glass in my hand, staring at it for a couple minutes before I even took my first sip. Intimidating. I took the first sip. I held in my mouth, letting everything happen all at once. Chili pepper, check. Cinnamon...Cinnamon? CINNAMON, DAMNIT WHERE ARE YOU? Malt? Anything other than pepper, can you make yourself known?

Nothing. All I tasted was pepper.

This beer was heavy in my mouth, and not an easy drink. I was this close to getting a glass of milk to chase it with.

I eventually finished, but truth be told I didn't really want to. But I can not let a beer go to waste. And while I didnt like this beer, I certainly wont let it detract me from either "odd" beers or Stone Brewery. I just didn't like it, and that's alright. I'm also prepared for the flak I'm bound to get, because I didn't like it. But I can handle that, I'm tough! Should I have maybe let it age even longer than 6 months? And with all this said, I feel the need to clarify, I don't think its a bad beer, I just don't think this beer is for me. If I want a beer with some spice, I think that so far the best one I have had, was The Vixen. Even if its a different style all together.

If you don't agree with me, let me know why. Like I mentioned, this beer is intimidating. For a little while , I admittedly didnt even know how to write about it. I wasn't sure if I liked it or not. I think that's why its nice to write a review for a beer a little later after consumption. Gives me time to ponder. I'm rambling now...

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Mid Review Post - My Latest Haul

So, basically, because this week has been hell, and my energy and focus are somewhere else. I still wanted to post something between my next review. I figured, what better than a haul post?!

So, my neighborhood Stop & Shop (or Giant, as I've discovered) has spent the last few months re-modeling to look and feel like all these new, fancy looking grocery stores, a la Wegmans or Stu Leonards or something along those lines. I suppose along with that, they decided "hey, lets start a bad ass "build-your-own" craft beer 6 pack." Cool, I can totally get down with that. And for $9.99? HELL YES PLEASE!

There is also a shelf they keep their 22oz bottles on. That's where I got my Smashed Blueberry!

Anyway, here is the haul!

I either need to get a light box, build a light box, or steal my girlfriends. What is this, amateur photo hour?

The best part of this mixer? I have never tried a single one of these beers. I have had a City Steam, Heavy Seas and Blue Point before, but never one of these styles. I'm excited!

And last...

Now...I've had nothing but good luck with Harpoons 100 Barrel Series. And honestly, I'm not a huge fan of any of their regular flagship brews. I had read a rather disparaging review from my friends over at Beer411 and my heart sank a bit. I had actually seen this bottle a few weeks prior and opted for Stone Vertical Epic instead. After reading their review on it, I did a bit more research and they all drew the same "meh" conclusions. But....it was $5. Also, I just have to try it. I can not begin to explain, I just need to.

All in all, I am very impressed that Stop & Shop has really stepped their game up!

Thus ends my first haul post. I think I might do this more often, because while I'm not going to review every beer I drink, I think sharing what gets purchased has the potential to be fun and educational!